Carrier for containers

ABSTRACT

A carrier for combining two or more containers having generally square tops with outwardly extending rims at the top. The carrier blank has a top panel and two side panels downwardly foldable along fold lines spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers. The fold lines are interrupted by slits which follow the contours of the tops of the containers adjacent the fold lines and extend inwardly across the top panel at mid-regions to form tongues which snap below the undersides of the rims of the containers in the erected condition.

[451 Sept. 4, 1973 CARRIER FOR CONTAINERS [75] Inventor: Jean Huault, Paris, France [73] Assignee: Lever Brothers Company, New

York, NY.

221 Filed: Mar. 22, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 126,757

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 26, 1970 France 7011013 [52] US. Cl. 206/65 C, 294/872 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/02 [58] Field of Search 206/65 R, 65 C, 65 D, 206/65 E; 294/872; 229/51 TS, 40, 51 DB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,339,725 9/1967 Hamilton 206/65 C 3,432,202 3/1969 Ebelhardt 294/872 3,409,124 11/1968 Jorgensen 206/65 C 3,311,402 3/1969 Spandock 206/65 C 3,540,582 11/1970 Wood et al 228/51 TS 3,604,614 9/1971 Sternfeld 206/65 C 3,638,990 H1972 Huault 206/65 C Primary ExaminerHerbert F. Ross Assistant ExaminerStephen Marcus AttorneyLouis F. Kline, Jr., Melvin H. Kurtz and Edgar E. Ruff [57] ABSTRACT A carrier for combining two or more containers having generally square tops with outwardly extending rims at the top. The carrier blank has a top panel and two side panels downwardly foldable along fold lines spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of the tops of the containers' The fold lines are interrupted by slits which follow the contours of the tops of the containers adjacent the fold lines and extend inwardly across the top panel at mid-regions to form tongues which snap below the undersides of the rims of the containers in the erected condition.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED E 4 I975 INVENTOR JEAN HUAULT BY M ATTCRNEY CARRIER FOR CONTAINERS This invention relates to a carrier for containers such as tubs or pots, formed from a flat blank of cardboard, paperboard or like material and adapted to retain two or more containers, and particularly for containers having tops of a generally rectangular shape.

it is often desirable to combine two or more containers together in a single pack. An object of the present invention is to provide a carrier which is suitable for combining containers having generally rectangular tops and an outwardly extending flat rim at the top of the container.

According to the present invention there is provided a carrier carton for grouping together at least two containers having substantially rectangular outwardly extending flat rims at the top comprising a top panel and two side wall panels, the side wall panels being joined to the top panel by parallel fold lines interrupted by slits, the fold lines lying between adjacent containers and being spaced apart a distance less than the width 2 of the tops of the containers, each of the slits between consecutive fold lines comforrning to the shape of the top of the container adjacent the fold lines and having a central portion in which the slits extend inwardly across the top panel to providetongues on the side panels which engage the underside of the outwardly extending rims of the containers when the side panels are folded to the erected position with the containers.

Preferably the edges of the tongues formed on the side wall panels which engage the undersides of the rims of the containers are convex.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flat blank of cardboard material, and,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 erected to form a carrier combining two containers.

As shown in FIG. 1 the blank, indicated generally by the numeral 1, is adapted to combine two containers each having substantially rectangular tops.

The blank comprises a top panel 8 and two side panels 9 which are folded from opposite edges of the top panel 8 along fold lines 6. The fold lines are interrupted by slits which, adjacent the fold lines 6, are arcuate at 2 and straight lines at 3. Between the portions 2, or the portions 2 and 3 as the case may be, each of the slits between consecutive fold lines 6 are provided with a central portion comprising a pair of straight slits 4 extending from the slits 2 and 3 inwardly across the top panel and joined by an arcuate slit 5. This central portion of the slit extends inwardly across the top panel a distance such that the innermost portions of the arcuate slits S are aligned with the fold lines 6.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2 the erected carrier combines two containers each of which has three radiused corners and a fourth sharp angled corner which coincides with a tear strip device provided to facilitate opening of the containers. The containers are turned through with respect to one another so that the sharp angled corners 3a of the containers are each disposed other than at the ends of the carrier with the sharp angled corners adjacent opposite edges of the top panel. Adjacent the fold lines 6 the slits at 2 and 3 conform to the shape of the tops of the containers and the fold lines 6 lie between adjacent containers. The distance between the fold lines 6 at opposite sides of the top panel is less than the corresponding width of the tops of the containers.

To erect the blank into a carrier as shown the top panel of the blank is aligned with the tops of the containers and the side panels 9 and 10 pressed downwards. The tongues 7, formed on the side panels by the central portion 4 and 5 of the slits which extend inwardly across the top panel, snap past the periphery of the tops of the containers and engage the underside of the outwardly extending rims of the containers. In the erected condition the uppermost edges of the tongues 7 are slightly convex to enhance the grip of the carton on the containers.

if desired the central portion of each of the slits can be modified to provide two or more tongues engaging the undersides of the rims of the containers.

Whilst the embodiment as described is for two containers, a carrier according to the present invention may be constructed to combine more than two containers by using a longer blank 1 with the required number of slits on each side to take the number of containers to be grouped together.

What is claimed is:

l. A package comprising at least two containers having substantially rectangular outwardly extending flat rims at the top and a carrier of foldable sheet material, the carrier comprising a top panel, two interrupted fold lines spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding width of the tops of the containers, two side walls joined respectively to the top panel by said fold lines, slits interrupting the fold lines and conforming to the shape of the tops of the containers adjacent the fold lines, central slit portions of each of the slits extending inwardly across the top panel, tongues on the side panels formed by said central slit portions engaging the underside of the outwardly extending rims of the containers.

2. A package according to claim 1 in which the edges of the tongues formed on the side wall panels which engage the undersides of the rims of the containers are convex. 

1. A package comprising at least two containers having substantially rectangular outwardly extending flat rims at the top and a carrier of foldable sheet material, the carrier comprising a top panel, two interrupted fold lines spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding width of the tops of the containers, two side walls joined respectively to the top panel by said fold lines, slits interrupting the fold lines and conforming to the shape of the tops of the containers adjacent the fold lines, central slit portions of each of the slits extending inwardly across the top panel, tongues on the side panels formed by said central slit portions engaging the underside of the outwardly extending rims of the containers.
 2. A package according to claim 1 in which the edges of the tongues formed on the side wall panels which engage the undersides of the rims of the containers are convex. 